Conventional detergents used in the warewashing and laundry industries include alkaline detergents. Alkaline detergents, particularly those intended for institutional and commercial use, generally contain phosphates and aminocarboxylates. Phosphates and aminocarboxylates are multifunctional components commonly used in detergents to reduce water hardness as well as increase detergency, antiredeposition, and crystal modification. Detergency is defined as the ability to wet, emulsify, suspend, penetrate, and dispense soils.
In particular, polyphosphates such as sodium tripolyphosphate and aminocarboxylates such as nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and their salts are used in detergents because of their ability to prevent calcium carbonate precipitation and their ability to disperse and suspend soils. If calcium carbonates are allowed to precipitate, the crystals may attach to the surface of the surface being cleaned and may cause undesirable effects. For example, calcium carbonate precipitation on the surface of ware can negatively impact the aesthetic appearance of the ware and give the ware an unclean look. In the laundering area, if calcium carbonate precipitates and attaches onto the surface of fabric, the crystals may leave the fabric feeling hard and rough to the touch. The ability of sodium tripolyphosphate and NTA to disperse and suspend soils facilitates the detergency of the solution by preventing the soils from redepositing into the wash solution or wash water. In addition, sodium tripolyphosphate and NTA also have the ability to increase and buffer the pH of the detergent. If the alkalinity of the detergent is too high, the surface of the fabric washed with the detergent may have an irritant effect on skin, which has a relatively neutral pH.
However, while effective, both phosphates and aminocarboxylates are subject to government regulations due to environmental and health concerns. Phosphates have a detrimental impact when released into the environment, and aminocarboxylates are believed to be carcinogenic. There is, therefore, a need in the art for an environmentally friendly multifunctional component that can replace the properties of phosphorous compounds such as phosphates, phosphonates, phosphites, and acrylic phosphinate polymers, as well as aminocarboxylates.